How do I create a bootable iso file from my current Ubuntu 20.04 machine?

Question

I am running Ubuntu 20.04 and I have my entire dev environment set up on this. I need to make some hardware upgrades and need to reinstall Ubuntu.

However I would like to take backup of my entire Ubuntu machine with my development environment intact. How do I create a backup as an ISO file and reinstall it. Is that possible?

Answer 1

Ubuntu Operating System Reinstaller

Hopefully the following should suit your requirements even though it does not involve an ISO file.

Procedure.

• Create a persistent USB using mkusb. Make the usbdata partition large enough to contain your operating system. See https://help.ubuntu.com/community/mkusb#Quick_start_manual_and_mkusb_PPA

Showing partitions created by mkusb persistent install.

• Boot the mkusb drive in the computer who's OS you want to backup.

• Open Gnome-Disks, (Disks), Select the disk you wish to backup on the left.

• Select the icon that looks like a stack of pancakes upper right.

• Click "Create Disk Image" and save the image to the usbdata partition of the persistent USB.

• When it comes time to restore your OS, boot the USB in the Target computer and use the pancake icon to restore the image to the hard drive. The restore will overwrite everything on the target drive. Best to test the image before deleting the original OS.